Bill Gates held a series of meetings in South Korea on Aug. 14 with SK Group Chairman Chey Tae-won, HD Hyundai Chairman Chung Ki-sun, and other major political and business figures, according to BlockBeats, citing Korean media. The talks focused on cooperation in small modular reactors, or SMRs, and power supply for artificial intelligence. In his meeting with Chey, Gates discussed ways to address rising electricity demand driven by the spread of AI data centers, the direction of the next-generation nuclear power industry, and the potential for U.S.-South Korea nuclear cooperation. SK and SK Innovation invested a combined $250 million in TerraPower in 2022, becoming the company’s second-largest shareholder. On the same day, SK Innovation signed a business cooperation agreement with TerraPower for sodium-cooled SMR projects. Gates also met Chung and Hyundai Engineering & Construction CEO Lee Han-woo to review progress on a previously signed commercial agreement. In May this year, the three companies agreed to work together on commercializing sodium-cooled reactors and setting up a division-of-roles structure.
Bill Gates, the Microsoft co-founder and founder of next-generation nuclear company TerraPower, held a series of meetings in South Korea on Aug. 14 with SK Group Chairman Chey Tae-won, HD Hyundai Chairman Chung Ki-sun, and other major figures from the country’s political and business circles, according to Korean media cited by BlockBeats.
The discussions centered on cooperation in small modular reactors, or SMRs, and electricity supply tied to artificial intelligence.
Talks with SK covered AI-driven power demand
In his meeting with Chey, Gates discussed responses to rising electricity demand linked to the spread of AI data centers, the direction of the next-generation nuclear power industry, and the possibility of nuclear cooperation between the United States and South Korea.
SK and SK Innovation jointly invested a total of $250 million in TerraPower in 2022, making them the company’s second-largest shareholder.
Also on Aug. 14, SK Innovation signed a business cooperation agreement with TerraPower covering sodium-cooled small modular reactor, or sodium SMR, projects.
Meetings also reviewed progress with HD Hyundai side
Gates also met Chung and Lee Han-woo, chief executive officer of Hyundai Engineering & Construction, to check on progress under a previously signed commercial agreement.
In May this year, the three companies agreed to work together to advance the commercialization of sodium-cooled reactors and establish a division-of-roles structure.
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